Hi there! In my childhood, I spent most of my time outdoors. When you're a kid next to a forest, the number of things you could do were unlimited: tree climbing, berry picking, fishing- I could go on and on. But as I grew up, I started noticing things: less butterflies, less kids outdoors, and more development. I am passionate about curbing habitat and biodiversity loss. I believe the majority of our sustainability problems -greenwashing, high resource usage, and so on- are a result of our economic strategy of infinite, fast, economic growth. I hope to make a change in this area.

What is your personal definition of sustainability? 

My personal definition of sustainability is to reduce our resource usage to sustain a healthy, functioning ecosystem indefinitely. In my philosophy of climate change course, the definition of sustainability I was taught was "to preserve resources to sustain the next 8 generations". I disagree with this anthropocentric approach, not just for the animals, but also because it would result in diminished qualities of life for future generations. Our ecosystems provide valuable ecological services for us both mentally and physically. We are currently in the sixth great mass extinction; it is crucial to sustain more than just our own species.

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

Sustainability will always be a core value in my personal life, but the role it plays in my professional career will change according to my circumstances. My ideal career would be in sustainability consulting, ESG, or sustainability research. However, as a student, I'm also excited to learn and explore other career paths in business. I hope to inspire change in the organizations I join, whether it's encouraging an investment board to build an ESG division, or raising a voice about sustainability practices within the organization. As I gain more work experience and become more stable in my career, I aim to pivot towards a pure social impact role in non-profits or academia.

However, it is important for me to build my career with companies that align to my values. As I seek meaningful work, I will conduct research into a company's business practices before I apply. I would not feel comfortable working at ExxonMobil, Nestle, or Coca Cola; companies who have a history of greenwashing and unethical business practices. Having a job with meaning is important to me. I want to be proud of the change I'm making, not ashamed of my livelihood.

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

I am currently an Education & Advocacy Sapling at the Ivey Social Impact Club and a VP of Public Relations at the Environmental Science Association! These on-campus initiatives are a great way to raise awareness about sustainability on a local community level. In these positions, I'm involved with writing educational posts and planning events such as speaker panels, the Bloom Conference, and nature walks alongside the nearby Medway Heritage Trail. My favorite thing about these are the opportunities to talk to Western/Ivey sustainability leaders such as Brendon Samuels (Western's "dead bird guy") and Richie Bloomfield (Urban Roots).

I am also helping Wren Montgomery with her greenwashing research, compiling and summarizing news about greenwashing & ESG. This project keeps me informed and is especially helpful for my student leadership positions, as I always find new learnings to share with the Ivey/Western community!

Outside of school, I enjoy practicing upcycling, minimalism, and writing about environmental issues on my Medium blog (https://cassiesu100.medium.com/). I use my blog as an opportunity to conduct research and share my learnings into topics unexplored in coursework. I aim to live according to my values and hope to inspire those around me to do the same!

Please list any sustainability-related interests you want to explore during the certificate. 

• Degrowth
• Environmental sustainability
• Greenwashing
• Disproportionate impacts of climate change